Walter winagsj



, (N0 -Model.)

W. WIN-ANS. v I ELECTRIC SIGHT FOR I'IRE ARMS.

No. 320,200. v1%011011000 Jun 10, 1885.-

To all whom it may concern: 3

- Ni-T WALTER wrna'n spo n nnionrou, coUNTY'oEjsUssEX, EriGL'AND.

eeec'rmc slei-ifr FOR FIREARMS.

sPncIFrcAa-IoN remeih part of Letters Patent No-L32Q200, ear guu'neApplication filed April 1, 1825. (No maul.) I

Be it known that. I, "/VALTER. WINANS, of 2: Clarendon Terrace,Brightom'inthe county of; Sussex, England,.have invented certain mew.and. improved means forfacilitating the sight; ing of fire arms in thedusk or at night, of which the following is a specification. I

:The object of tlhe present invention is to fa .cilitate the sighting{if fire-arms in. the dusk or at night. To thiseiid I adapt to theweapon an electrical front s'iglit'and preferably asmallg electric lampin which a carbon filament is rendered incandescent by the current froman electric generator or apparatus of any-suitable kind adapted to theweapon in any convenient manner. I prefer to employ a primary battery ofsmall size for rendering the fore sight, of Whatever character it maybe, luminous by electricity, and toadapt it to the stock of the rifle,fitting it within a chamber prepared to receive it.

In the accompanying drawings Ihave shown my invention as applied to aMartini rifle by way of example.

Figure 1 is a side view of the rifle complete with my invention appliedthereto. Fig. 2is a.similar view, partly in section, showing the batteryinside the stock. Fig. 3is arear end view of the rifle. Figs. 4and5 arefrontviews on an enlarged scale of a double and single barreled rifle,respectively, with an electric front sight affixed thereto. Fig. 6represents the sight as seen by the firer. Fig. 7 is a section throughthe nietal ease inclosing the' electric case I is of a form to fitaround lhebarrel, and

is provided with a small clamping-screw, 7, by which it can be securedin its proper posi tion. The aperture is protected by a piece of glass,and a rellector is arranged within the case b, opposiie thereto, thusmakingaminiatnre electrical bulls-eye or dark lantern of the lamp. Thelamp is mounted on a spring or springs after the manner commonlypracticed with respect toineandesdent lamps, and V t -is packed roundwith cotton .wool, horsehair, ,or. other elastic substance topreventbreakage by the concussion of the rifle on; discharge. This electricalfront sight is preferably mounted upon the rifle or gun in the mannerillustrated in Figs. 4 and but it might be mount, edx'in 'a horizontalhollow arinlearried by a bracket extending from one side of the barrel;but inany case the-opening in the case through which the electric lightis seen should be turned-toward the .rear sight or butt of the weapon,and should-be arranged to be seen'65 just above the fixed front sight ofthe rifle when taking aim, in which case the leaf of the rear sightshould .be slightly raised or otherwise accordingly adjusted. If theincandescent lamp clasps onto the barrel orbarrels of the rifle behindthefixed from sight, the *aperture in the metal case is best fixed atthe exaet height of the topof the fixed front sight, thereby enablingthe same aim to be taken as", when using the fixed sight.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 3, c is the battery by which the electricfront sight is rendered luminous, as required, and it is eonveniently'adapted to the stock, as shown, and covered in or protected bythe heel=plate f. e e are the terminals of the battery,and insulatedconductors leading, respectively, to and from the electric lamp areattached thereto. gis a switch, of any suitable construction, for makingand breaking the electrical circuit. The conductors are preferably laidin a groove in the stock beneath the barrel, and where they emerge fromthe wood are protected by a metal tube or tubes, h h. I have found achloride-ofsilver battery to answer my purpose admira- '90 bly; but itis obvious that other batteries of small size may be used and may beadapted to the weapon or be connected with the electric sight in otherways than that hereinabove described and illustrated. A silver batteryof 5 two cells or rectangular form, each two and one-hulf inches high bytwo and onol'ourth inches wide and one half inch thick, has been foundsul'iicient for my purpose; but the shapeof the cells may be altered tosuit the stock, IQO retaining, however; about the same capacityviz.,some live and one-half cubic inches. In some cases the metal work of therille may be used to form part of the conductor for the re inarybat-tery,and if a regiment of soldiers were to have their rifles fittedwith electric front sights these accumulators would be charged andserved out each evening. The switch 9 is fixed at a point suitable foroperation by the firer in the act of aiming; but it might be c ,nncctedwith the hammer or striker, so that when the rifle is at full-cock thefront sight glows, and when the trigger is pulled thelight goes out. Thebattery or accumulator should only be ofsnch power as to make the lampglow sufiiciently to enable the firer to seeit plainly, as,if toobright, it would preventhis seeing the object aimed at. The battery orother source ofelcetricity might be carried about the person of theshooter and be connected with the rifle by means of wires, which couldbe readily attached or detached.

I would remark that I do not limit myself to the use of a miniatureincandescent lamp with a carbon filament as the electric front sight, asin some casesaplatinum or other wire might be rendered luminous orincandescent by electricity, or electric sparks might be caused to playbetween two points, in which case an induction-coil may be used incombination with the battery,orasmall electro-magnetand make-and-breakdevice may be mounted on the weapon for the same purpose.

Having now particularly described my said invention, I declare that whatI claim is 1. The combination, with the barrel or barrels of a fire-arm,of an electric front sight and a battery or equivalent source ofelectricity adapted to supply a current of electr cit to the said sightfor the purpose of more clearly indicating the position of the troutsight and thereby facilitating the sighting ol' the weapon in the duskor at night, Sulmlzmtlfilly set forth.

2. The combination, with the barrel or barrels ofa fire-arm, of anincandescent electric lamp elastically supported within adetachableprotecting hood or case having a small aperture facing the firer, and abattery connected with the said lamp bysuitablyarranged conductors, asand for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, with the barrel or barrels of a fire-arm, of abattery adapted to the stock of the weapon, a front sight capable ofbeing rendered luminous by electricity, and conductors for conveying thecurrent to said front sight when taking aim, as and for the purpose setforth.

\VALTER l/VINANS.

Witnesses:

- H. MONTAGUE WILLIAMS,

Solicitor, Brighton, Sussex, England. A. STANLEY BISHOP,

Solicitor, Brighton, England.

